James came for Brainspotting therapy due to anxiety in the work place. He had been in cognitive behavioral therapy and felt something more was needed. James started a new job and was given a client who had bullied a previous employee. The employee got fired due to her actions. James, new to the job, was next to serve the client. He realized early on in this situation he had a lot of present day challenging work situations to attend to and he was triggered from the past.
We had met a month earlier as colleagues and I had discussed with him the benefits of Brainspotting therapy and how it works. He had sent me some cases and was aware of the effects it has on healing trauma. When this situation arose he knew he needed to take action.
He states, “The fact that I took action was so important. When the anxiety gets bad instead of talking about it I took action and that was the key. I did something. I would urge people to act and not let it get the best of them.”
The trigger was related to mother issues. When he first walked in James was extremely stressed. He later reported he was someone who holds in his feelings. I urged him to take a minute and get settled into the room. He commented how valuable those initial moments were stating, You were so real and helpful to get me to settle down. Every now and then I feel the support of you suggesting I settle in. You helped me feel comfortable to start to feel things I stuffed away.”
Brainspotting therapy is a Dual Attunement process. It is the attunement between the client and the therapist as well as the attunement of the client to their neurophysiology. Within the relationship the technique is used. Brainspotting therapy is a brain based therapy, working deep within the mid-brain and brainstem. People come to therapy because they need to resolve something they can not get to on their own. In James’ case even talk therapy could not help him resolve the stress of his anxiety. Anxiety is a physiological response. Brainspotting is as David Grand, PhD., Founder of Brainspotting states, “ a physiological therapy with psychological consequences.” The therapist is a guide supporting the client, watching the their reflexes and providing the space and the relationship for the work to take place.
James was able to work with a resource and activation spot. Brainspotting has two models: A resource model and an activation model. Which one and how they are used varies client to client. (read more at: )In the process we discussed how James had been an advent mountain biker. His father was hoping he would become a Golfer James, however, needed something to help him leave the home and find peace and freedom. He turned to Mountain Biking. He states, “Bike riding represents freedom.”
Up to the time of the Brainspotting sessions James reported himself as a prisoner to his work. He works at home and every minute is a billable minute, giving himself freedom to not work was a challenge and added to his anxiety Through, the process he states, “I am not in prison anymore. I don’t work for the man. I work to get the projects done and I pace myself different. “ This came after he had found an eye position to correspond to the freedom he felt bike riding. He reports that when in need he returns to his resource and states, “When you go back to that spot something clicks. “Bam, within four seconds I am back there on the spot in your office. I may need a small visual adjustment but then everything clicks. “
James had to wait six months to see if the work situation was resolved. “Brainspotting gave me the methods of how to get through the few months that I knew were going to be difficult.”